This invention relates to self-propelled irrigation equipment and more particularly to alignment control systems for maintaining self propelled irrigation equipment in substantial linear alignment.
Center pivot irrigation equipment has become well known in the irrigation industry. Such equipment consists of a water distribution conduit that is composed of a plurality of pivotally interconnected pipe sections. The water distribution conduit is pivoted about one end in an arcuate manner to distribute water over a field.
Numerous alignment devices have been devised for maintaining pipe sections in substantial linear alignment with each other as the water distribution conduit is pivoted over the field in a circular or arcuate path. Many of the alignment control devices are disclosed in patents classified in the U.S. Patent Office under Class 137, Subclass 344 and Class 239, Subclass 212.
One particular arrangement is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,436 granted to Pringle on Apr. 30, 1974. The Pringle patent describes an electrical-mehcanical system utilizing micro-switches.
Recently, attempts have been made to apply electronic solid state technology to the alignment control systems. One such effort is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,730 granted July 16, 1974 to Sandstrom et al. The Sandstrom patent shows a rather complicated alignment control system utilizing a transistor-operational amplifier type solid state control network.
One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an improved alignment system for center pivot irrigation system which has an extended life over present alignment systems.
An additional object of this invention is to provide an alignment control system which is more reliable and yet less expensive to manufacture than previous systems.
The further object of this invention is to provide an alignment control device having a minimum of components and which also is very reliable.
These and other objects and advantages of this system will become apparent upon the reading of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.